Educational link



Feb m w@ R. A. NERRIE 2,496,819

EDUCATIONAL LINK Filed Dec. l1, 1946 Z7 'l 2f y Mv ZZ Z3 7 V22 xNvEN'TORgw 28 RALPH A. NERE/E f' f5 6, 5.2% ff Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE EDUCATIONAL LINK Ralph Nen-ie, Fayson Lake, Butler,N. J. Application 'December 11, 194s, serial No. 715,457

This invention relates to educational devices or toys and, inparticular, to the provision of such a new and improved device or toyvby means of which each of the letters of the alphabet as well asnumerals, symbols, etc., may be quite closely simulated or representedby children of letterlearning ages, thereby combining education withentertainment and amusement.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide such a new andimproved 'device which is capable of simulating letters, numerals, andsymbols with curved legs or branches, and with both curved and straightlegs or branches, substantially as closely as letters, numerals, andsymbols with straight legs or' branches only. y

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device whichis of simple, sturdy construction and capable of cheap production inwidely varying materials. I l

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device or toywhich incorporates plural complementary, relatively movable sections ormembers which are capable of being selectively arranged, by units, tosimulate either straightedged or curved-edged legs or branches as partsof various letters, numerals or symbols, and the like.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterappear from the following description and vthe accompanying drawingforming a part thereof, and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of one preferred form of my device extended toillustrate the members thereof and the manner in which they areconnected;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. l with the parts collapsed;

Fig. 3 is a view, in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken through one joint, along the planeindicated by the line 4--4 in Fig. 2, and showing the details of theconnection provided between two adjacent m'ain members and anintervening auxiliary member, the spacing therebetween being exaggeratedin the interest of clear disclosure;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device with the parts in position forforming the letter `B, a letter having both straight and curved legs,portions, or branches;

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the device with the parts in position forforming the letter L, a

2 Claims. (Cl. 35--71) letter havingonly straight or straight-edged legsor branches; and y Fig. '7 is a plan View of the device with th parts inposition for forming the letter C,'a letter having only curved orcurved-edged legs or branches.

The illustrative embodiment of invention shown in Figs. 1-7 comprises aplurality of elongated, similar main members or sections I D, II, I2,I3, I4, I5 and I6 pivotally' connected in substantial end-to-'endrelation, as hereinafter described in detail, to form an articulatedelongated structure of whicheach of these members or sections IIl-IS isa constituent section or part.

At each .joint between vthe ends of adjacent members Ill- I6 one of a`plurality of4 similar auxiliary members of sections I'I, I8, I9, 20, 2land 22 is pivotally secured between the end portions of the adjacentmain portions ory sections I0--I6."Another, similar, auxiliary member orsection 1,3 is plvotally secured to the outer end portion of the mainmember or section I6 at one end ofthe main structure'. AThe main memberor section Ill at the opposite end of the main structure is, preferably,for vthe sake of appearance, un-aperture'd at its outer end, being'otherwise similar in every respect to each of the other members orsections II-I6. f

As shown in Fig. 4, the vpivotal connection between the respective mainand auxiliary members at each joint may be accomplished by means ofsimilar aligned apertures, 24 in each end portion. A hollowrivet,eyelet, or grommet 25 extends through `each set of apertures 24and clampingly secures the pivotally connected end portions closelyvtogether to create the desired degree of frictional resistance torelative pivotal movement therebetween. Of course, such other knownconnecting means may be substituted as is most appropriate to theparticular material from which the main and auxiliary members orsections are formed.

Each of the main members o1' sections I--IB has a straight side edge anda curved side edge;.

the auxiliary members or sections I1-23 each also have one straight sideedge and one curved or arcuate side edge, the curved or arcuate sideedges of the main and auxiliary members or sections being converse, i.e. concave in one case and convex in the other. Preferably, they aresubstantially concentric as shown in Figs. 5 and '7.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the side edges of the main membersor sections III-I6 are designated 26 and 21, the edges 26 being straightand the edges 21 being curved and concave. The side edges of theauxiliary members or sections I1--23 are designated 28 and 29, the edges28 being straight and the opposite edges 29 being curved and convex. Ifdesired, the curved edges of the main members or sections may be madeconvex and the curved edges of the auxiliary members or sections madeconcave.

Since the auxiliary members I1-23 are pivotally connected betweenadjacent main members lll-I6, the entire structure may be collapsed orfolded in jack-knife relation as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In suchposition the straight sides `215 and 28 of the main and auxiliarymembers or appeal to their imitative capacities.

sections (see l0 and I1, Fig. 2) form the side portions of the outlineto define a straight leg or branch of a letter such as the capital Lvshown in Fig. 6.

By swinging the auxiliary member I1 counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 2,the arcuate edges 21 and 29 may be made to dene the side edges of acurved or arcuate branch or leg of a letter such as the capital C shownin Fig. 7.

An important feature of the invention which greatly simplifies andcheapens the manufacture thereof is the fact that each of the auxiliarymembers or sections |1-23 is identical, and, with the exception of theoptional omission of the aperture 24 at one end of one main member orsection (I0, Fig. 1), the same is also true of the main members orsections Ill-I6; the rivets,

eyelets or grommets 25 are likewise identical. Thus the device is madeup of a plurality of each of three parts, namely main members orsections and auxiliary members or sections, both of which may readilyand cheaply die cut from any sheet material such as non-metallic plasticsheeting, metal, wood, paper or composition, and the attaching elements25 which are cheap and readily procurable and attachable commercialproducts.

A further important feature of the invention resides in the fact thateach set or pair of complementary members, such as main member I3 andauxiliary member 20, may selectively be positioned with their straightedges 2B and 28 outwardly to form a straight or straight-edged leg orbranch as shown in Fig. 6, or with their curved or arcuate edges 21 and29 outwardly to form a curved or curved-edged leg or branch as shown inFig. '1. While the curved edges 21 of the main members ID--IS may beomitted, it is preferred that these edges be curved for closest possiblesimulation of the smooth continuous delineating or defining outer edgesof letters, numerals or symbols, etc., which are comprised either partlyor entirely of curved legs, branches or portions. See, for instance, thecapital B, Fig. 5 and the It is, of course, to be understood that theabove u description is merely illustrative and in nowise limiting andthat I desire to comprehend within my invention such modications as areincluded Within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an educational device of the class described, a jointed elongatedbody comprising a plurality of main strip members pivotally connected inseries, and a plurality of auxiliary strip members each free at one endand having common pivotal connection with adjacent main strip members attheir other ends, said main strip members and said auxiliary stripmembers each having one curved side edge and one straight side edge,each of said auxiliary strip members being selectively adjustableangularly with respect to an adjacent main strip member to formtherewith a section with its side edges defined either by said straightedges or said curved edges.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein the curved side edges ofsaid auxiliary strip members are concentric with respect to the curvedside edges of cooperating adjacent main strip members in predeterminedpositions of relative adjustment with respect thereto.

RALPH A. NERRIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,541,004 Taylor June 9, 1925FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,408 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1911123,615 Great Britain Mar. 6, 1919

